CIA Director Ratcliffe Targets Brennan’s Legacy, Promises Major Reform

John Ratcliffe, newly installed as CIA director, has vowed to overhaul the agency and undo what he sees as years of politicization under former Director John Brennan.

Ratcliffe, who was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in by Vice President JD Vance, criticized Brennan for steering the agency away from its true mission and into political controversies.

Ratcliffe pointed to Brennan’s handling of the Hunter Biden laptop controversy, calling it a prime example of intelligence officials misleading the public. Brennan, along with other high-ranking figures, signed a statement claiming the laptop story was Russian disinformation, which later proved to be false and was used in federal investigations against Hunter Biden.

Speaking shortly after assuming his role, Ratcliffe highlighted how the intelligence community failed during the 2016 election, citing the FBI’s surveillance of Trump’s campaign based on questionable evidence. He asserted that intelligence authorities were misused to push a political narrative that damaged trust in the agency.

As part of broader efforts to restore confidence, President Donald Trump recently revoked the security clearances of Brennan and others involved in signing the letter about Hunter Biden’s laptop. Ratcliffe said this action was necessary to prevent further misuse of classified information by individuals who are no longer in government service.

Under Ratcliffe’s leadership, the CIA is expected to return to focusing on its primary responsibilities — gathering intelligence, conducting covert operations, and addressing global threats. He stressed the need to remove any lingering political agendas that could compromise national security.

Ratcliffe stated that his tenure will prioritize strengthening intelligence capabilities and ensuring objective analysis to support national security decisions.